Road plane



June 3 1924.

1923 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

ROAD PLANE L. W. BURRELL Filed Dec.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY June 3 1924.

L. W. BURRELL ROAD PLANE 15 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

- INVENTCRJ WITNESSES KTTORN E Patented June 3, I924 LORY W. BURRELL, OF INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MINNESOTA,

ROAD

? I Application filed December To a-ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORY 1V. BURRELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at International Falls, in the county of Koochiching and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Road Plane, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a road plane especially adapted for working on dirt roads, which have become out and furrowed by the wheels of passing vehicles, and to cut down the raised or uneven surfaces thereof, using the material thus removed for filling up the ruts or furrows, or other depressions, leaving the road with a smooth and even surface.

The objects of the invention are to provide a road machine of this type. which, while being drawn over the road will adjust itself continuously to the inequalities of the road surface, and will replace and redistribute the material which has been thus displaced; to provide therein means for adjusting the earth working parts to adapt them to different road surface conditions or for different uses, and for convenience in transporting the same; and toperform the several operations of levelling the road, filling the ruts and other de ressions therein, and rolling and packing t e same in a single operation.

The invention consists further in certain details of construction and combinations of elements which will bemore specifically de scribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention in its preferred form.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention.

Figure 2 is afront elevation thereof.-

Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 4: is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the outer wing in raised or folded position.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the central part of the machine.

As shown in the drawings the preferred form of the invention includes a central longitudinal I-beam 10, provided at its forward end'with a cutting nose, formed by sharpening the end of the lower flange of the beam and merging into a substantially circular shaped plate 11 secured to its underside, and having lateral cutting edges 12.

PLANE.

15, 1923. Serial No. 680,914.

Secured to opposite faces of the web of the I beam in rear of the plate 11 are a pair of oppositely disposed hinge'straps 13, to which are pivoted forward ends of a pair of cutting wings 14. These wings may be formed from channel iron with a cutting blade 15 secured to the lower flange of each, and normally diverging rearwardly, so as to reach the ridges at the inner sides of the wheel track, and cut down the same to the normal level of the road bed. The rear ends of the wings 14: are held in suitable spaced relation to the rear end of the central beam 10* by spacing bars 16. Each of these bars is provided at its outer end with a downturned hook.17, which engages an eye 18 which is secured to the rear inner side of the corresponding wing 14, while the inner end of the spacing bar is provided with a series of holes 19, any one of which may receive a removable pin 20 inserted through the flanges of the I beam 10, so that the distance between the rear ends of the wings 1 L may be ad .jnsted, as the occasion may require.

A pair ofstraps 21 are secured in spaced relation to the upper side of the beam 10, near its forward end, and project laterally beyond the flanges thereof and terminate in eyes, which receive the horizontal pivot bolts 22, to which are pivoted the inner ends of a pair of cross bars 23. These bars extend at right angles to the central beam 10, and are strongly braced at their outer ends by the respective brace rods 24. which are secured at their forward ends to the outer ends of the bars 23 by bolts 25, and at their rear ends are mounted to swing on pivot bolts 26, which pass through eyes in the outer ends of a strap 27 secured transversely to the upper side of the central beam 10 near its rear end. The cross bars 23 serve to support a pair of outer or supplemental wings 28, which are pivotally mounted near theirforward ends on pivot bolts 29 passing vertically through the outer ends of the bars 23. The forward end of each wing 28 is limited in its relative movement by a pair of links 30, which are connected to each other by the respective eyes 31, and have their extremities turned down to form hooks 32 and 33, which are inserted in holes formed in the forward ends of the wing 28 and central beam 10, respectively. Movement of the rear end of each wing 28 is similarly limited by a pair of links 34:, connected to each other by the respective; eyes 35 and terminating in hooks 36 and 37, Which engage in holes in the rear ends of the wing 28 and the corresponding wing 14, respectively.

The front ends of the outer wings 28 diverge forwardly at an angle to the main portions of the wings, as shown at 38, and the forward portion of each is provided with an inwardly projecting cutting blade 39, having a curved inner cutting-edge 40. The rear end of each outer wing 28 is also provided with a cutting blade 41, which extends outwardly, and 'is provided with a rearwardly and outwardly inclined cutting edge 42. The wings 14 and 28are normally adjusted, so that they cut down or shave off the ridges on the inner and outer sides of the wheel track, respectively, while the cutting edges 12 of the blade 11 level off the inequalities in the middle of the road.

In operation, the device is drawn forwardly by means of a clevis 43, which is attached to a vertically disposed plate 44 secured to the forward end of the central beam 10. This plate is provided with a series of vertically spaced holes 45 to. any one of which the clevis may be secured, so that by adjusting the clevis upwardly or downwardly, the forward pull exerted thereon will cause the blade 11 and the forward ends of the blades 15 to cut more or less deeply. The plate 44 is also provided near its rear edge with one or more holes 46 for attaching a. clevis 47, by means of which a trailer or roller may be drawn along behind the plane.

The construction herein described, in addition to adapting the plane automatically to adjust itself to the conditions of the road, enables it to be folded up into compact form for transportation. In doing this, the outer wings 28 are folded upwardly about the pivot bolts 22 and 26, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. One of the cross bars 23 is providedwith a hook 48, which is adapted to engage an eye 49 secured to the other bar, so as'to retain the wings in this position. The links 30 and 34 may be removed, and the wings may then be swung downwardly into the position shown in Figure 4. The links 16 may also be removed, and the inner wings 14 swung inwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

The machine may be adapted for light or heavy duty, as required by the nature of the work to be performed, by the use of lighter or heavier material in its construction. The angle of the outer wings 28 may be altered by interchangingthe respective links 30 and 34. When this is done, the outer wings will cover a greater width of road bed, and mav be used for wider road plane work, or for the removal of snow or sleet.

While I have described in considerable de tail the specific construction of the inventlon in what is at present its preferred form,

it is to be understood that this is merely illustrative and that various changes and modifications may be made in the structure of the various elements, and in their relative arrangement without departing from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a road plane and rut filler, the combination of central member, a pair of rearwardl3 diverging wings attached thereto having blades normally in contact with the ground, transverse bars extending outwardly from the central member, and a pair of outer wings connected to the outer ends of the respective transverse bars and having blades normally in contact with the ground, said outer wings being spaced from the inner wings so as to engage the surface of the road outside of the wheel tracks, while-the innerblades engage the surface of the road inside the wheel tracks.

2. In a road plane and rut filler, the combination of a central member, a pair of rearwardly diverging wings attached thereto and having blades normally in contact with the ground, means for adjusting the angle of divergence, a pair of transverse bars extending outwardlyon opposite sides of the central member, and a pair of outer wings connected with said transverse bars andhaving blades normally in. contact with the ground and spaced from the first mentioned blades, and wholly outside of a longitudinal line drawn through the outer extremities thereof.

3. In a road plane and rut filler, the combination of a central beam, a pair of rearwardly diverging wings attached thereto and having blades normally in contact with". the ground, a pair of transverse bars extending outwardly on opposite sides of the central member, and a pair of outer wings in-.

termediately pivoted to the outer ends of the-transverse bars to swing in a horizontal plane and having blades normally in contactwith the ground and spaced fromthelirst mentioned blades.

4. In a road plane andrut filler, the combination of a central beam, a pair of rearwardly diverging, wings attached thereto and having blades adapted to smooth the surface of the ground, a pair of transverse bars pivoted tothe central beam and extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to swing in a vertical plane, and a pair of outer wings connected with the outer, ends of thetransverse bars and having blades spaced from the first mentioned blades and wholly outside the same.

In a road plane and rut filler, azcentral beam, a pair of rearwardly diverging wings attached thereto and having ground engagingblades, a pair of transverse bars extending outwardly from the central beam and pivoted thereto so as to swing in a vertical plane, and a pair of outer wings intermediately pivoted to the outer ends of said transverse bars so as to swing in a horizontal plane, said outer wings having ground engaging blades which are spaced from the first mentioned blades and wholly outside the same. a

6. In a road plane and rut filler, the combination of a central beam, a pair of rearwardly' diverging wings attached thereto and havin ground engaging blades, a pair of transverse bars extending outwardly from the central beam, a pair of outer wings interinediately pivoted to the outer ends of the transverse bars so as to swing in ahoi'izontal plane, said outer wings having ground engaging blades spaced. from the first mentioned blades, and means for limiting the horizontal swinging movement of the outer wings.

7.- In a road plane and rut tiller, a central beam, a pair of rearwardly divergingwings attached thereto and having ground engaging blades, means for adjusting the angle of divergence, a pair of transverse bars pivctally connected at their inner ends to the central beam so as to swing in a vertical plane, a pair of outer wings intermediately pivoted to the outer ends of said transverse bars so as to swing in a. horizontal plane, said outer wings also having ground engaging blades which are spaced from the first mentioned blades, and means for limiting the horizontal swinging movement of said outer wings.

8. In a road plane and rut filler, the combination of a central longitudinal beam having a horizontal blade secured to the underside of its front end with rearwardly divergent cutting edges, a pair of rearwardly diverging wings attached at their forward ends to the central beam adjacent said horizontal blade, said wings having ground engaging blades, means for adjusting the angle of divergence so as to cause said rear wardly diverging blades to span that portion of the roadway inside the wheel tracks, and a pair of outer wings having blades engageable wit-h the ground outside of and adjacent to the wheel tracks.

9. In a road plane, the combination of a central longitudinal I-beam provided at its forward end with a cutting nose formed by sharpening the end of the lower flange of the beam, and a plate secured to the underside of said lower flange and having lateral cutting edges.

10. In a road plane, the combination of a central longitudinal beam, a rigid cuttesecured to the front end thereof and operating in a horizontal plane, a pair of inner wings pivoted to the beam in rear of said cutter, and each wing having a cutting blade work ing in a horizontal plane and diverging rearwardly from the pivot points thereof, a

11. In a road plane, the combination of a central longitudinal beam, a pair of inner wings pivoted to the beam, each wing having a cutting bladeworking in a horizontal plane and diverging rearwa rdly from the pivot points thereof, a pair of transverse bars pivoted to thecenti'al beam, and a pair of outer Wings pivota lly mounted to the outer ends of said transverse bars, said wings having inwardly projecting cutting blades at their forward ends and outwardly proa jecting cutting blades at their rear ends. 12. In a road plane, the combination of a central-longitudinal beam, a pair ofinner wings pivoted to' the beam, each wing hav ing a cutting blade working in a horizontal plane and diverging rearwardly from the pivot points thereof, a pair of'transverse bars pivoted to the central beam, apair of outer wings pivotally mounted to-the outer ends of said transverse bars, saidflouter wings having inwardly [projecting cutting blades at their forward ends and out waidlv projecting cutting blades at their rear ends, links connecting the forward ends of the outer wings to the central beam, and other links connecting the rear ends of said outer wings to the rear ends of said inner wings.

18. In a road plane, the combination of a central longitudinal beam, a pair of inner wings pivoted to the opposite sides thereof and diverging rearwardly, said wings being each provided with a cutting blade, and movable toward and from said beam in a horizontal plane, a removable bracing connection between the rear ends of said wings and said beam, a pairof transverse bars pivoted to the said beam to swing upwardly, a bracing rod secured to the outer ends of each of said transverse bars and pivotally mounted to the central beam, and a pair of outer Wings pivoted on vertical pivots to the outer ends of said bars and extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, said Wings carrying cutting blades, a removable connection between the forward end of each outer wing and the central beam, and a removable connection between the rear end of each outer wing and rear end of each inner wing.

14. In a road plane, the combination of a central longitudinal beam, a pair of inner wings pivoted to the opposite sides thereof and diverging rearwardly, said wings being each provided with a cutting blade, and movable toward and from said beam in a horizontal plane, a removable bracing connection between the rear ends of said Wings and said bea1n,qa pair-of transverse bars pivoted, to the said beam to swing upwardly, a bracing rod secured to. the outer ends of each of said transverse bars and pivotally .mounted to the central beam, and a pair of nected to said beam and operating'in a hori-e zontal plane, said wings carrying blades, a

;pair of transverse bars extending outwardly on opposite sides of the central beam and pivotally. connected thereto so as to swing in a vertical plane, and a pair of outer wings pivoted at an intermediate point of their :length to the outer ends of the transverse bars to swing in a horizontal plane, said outer wings carrying blades arranged outside the blades of the inner wings.

16. In a road plane, thecombination of.

a central longitudinal beam, a pair of rearwardly diverging inner wings pivotally connected to said beam and operating. in a horizontal plane, said wings carrying blades, a pair of transverse bars extending outwardly on opposite sides of the central beam andv pivotallyconnected thereto so as to swing horizontal plane, said wings carrying blades,

a pair of transverse bars extending outwardly on opposite sides of the central beam and pivotally connected thereto so as to swing in a vertical plane, a pair of outer wings pivoted at an intermediate point of their length to the outer ends of the transverse bars to swing in a horizontal plane, said outer wings carrying blades arranged outside the blades of the inner wings, means for connecting the rear ends of the outer wings to the rear ends of the inner wings, and means for connecting the forward ends of the outer wings to the central beam.

In testimony that I claim the fore,. oing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

LORY WV. BURRELL. 

